International Partnerships Plan Continued Exploration of Mars

Future missions will search for evidence of life on the Red Planet

Mars is the focus of four missions with international participation – NASA’s Mars Odyssey (launched in 2001), the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express (2003), NASA’s Mars exploration rovers (2003) and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005). The missions are designed to study everything from planetary geology, mineral composition, water supply, radiation and atmosphere, to whether the Red Planet can support life.